Tv 



280 J A M A I C A. 



their underftanding, or improving their morals ! Can the vvifdom 

 of lecriflatLire be more ufefully applied, than to the attainment of 

 thele ends ; which, by making the women more defirable partners 

 in marriage, would render the ifland more populous, and refidence 

 in it more eligible ; which would banifli ignorance from the rifing 

 generation, reftrain numbers from feeking thefe improvements, at 

 the hazard of life, in other countries ; and from unnaturally re- 

 viling a place which they would love and prefer, if they could en- 

 joy in it that neceflary culture, without which life and property 

 lofe their relifli to thofe who are born, not only to inherit, but to 

 adorn, a fortune. 



Tlie women of this Ifland are lively, of good natural genius, 

 frank, affable, polite, generous, humane, and charitable ; cleanly 

 in their perfons even to excels ; infomuch that they frequently 

 bring on very dangerous complaints by the too free ufe of bathing 

 at improper periods. They are faithful in their attachments j 

 hearty in their friendfhips ; and fond, to a fault, of their children, 

 except in the fmgle inftance which I am grieved to have been 

 obliged to expatiate upon. They are temperate and abftemious in 

 their diet, rarely drinking any other liquor than water. They are 

 remarkably expert at their needle, and indeed every other remale 

 occupation taught them; religious in their lives and fentiments; 

 -and chafte without prudery in their converfation. In horfeman- 

 fhip, dancing, and mufic, they are in general very accompliftied : 

 ■in thefe acquired qualifications they excell, more or lefs, according 

 to the opportunities that have fallen in their way of cultivating 

 their natural talents, which are very good, and lufceptible of ex- 

 tenfive improvements. As a foil to the brilliant part of their cha- 

 ratSler, I mufi: acknowledge, although with great reludlance, that 

 they yield too much to the influence of a warm climate in their 

 liftlefs indolence of life. But it is chiefly the fault of the men, if 

 they do not aflemble till dinner is ferved up, or retire from it with 

 tlie cloth, to doze away an hour or two, or enjoy a feparate tete a 

 tele in Ibme adjoining chamber, leaving the men to their bottle. I 

 have heard it reported of the mafter of a family, that, regularly 

 after dinner and one circulation of the bottle, he nfed to throw out 

 broad bints that it was time for all females in company to with- 

 6 draw ; 



